A Thousand Faces - Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures

Michael F. Blake

Vestal Press

1997

398 páginas

13h 16m

ISBN-13: 9781879511217

Blake examines Chaney's film roles in this follow-up to the author's earlier biography (Lon Chaney: The Man Behind the Thousand Faces, Vestal Pr., 1993). Via correspondence, studio notes, and reviews from the popular press, Blake thoroughly reconstructs the cultural context in which Chaney's films were produced, exhibited, and received. Although occasionally subject to silent film histrionics, Chaney created the role of the twisted antihero, and it is this contribution to the pantheon of screen types that Blake hails here. He tracks Chaney's rise from freelancer to MGM star, as well as his partnership with director Tod Browning, whose dark visions permitted Chaney's tortured protagonists to thrive. Unfortunately, Blake's passion as a fan and informed interest in Chaney's artistry (the author himself is a makeup artist) is suffocated by a turbid text. At times Blake overexplicates and makes obvious inferences. The text includes meticulous endnotes, copious photographs, and a bibliography. This in-depth look is recommended for larger film studies collections.